RFA/VFA Grants

Mixed news for small departments that have participated in the RFA/VFA Dept of the Interior & Dept of Agriculture grant programs in the past.
The Dept of Interior is again not funding the Rural Fire Assistance, RFA, this year. Has to due with budgets and duplication of intent of other Federal Fire Grant programs, (AFG). The program is likely dead.
The USFS Volunteer Fire Assistance, VFA, grant program has incurred a 22% reduction in funding, so less dollars to go around.
The VFA grant is targeted for small departments with city populations that cannot exceed 10000. This grant also requires a 50% match. This grant is generally administered through your State Forestry program and open application periods vary.

RFA / VFA Grant Available in New York State

For those of you in New York State that haven't heard, applications for the Volunteer Fire Assistance Grant administered by NYSDEC are due by May 15, 2012. More information can be found at:http://www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/2364.html

Fire departments will receive 50/50 matching funds, up to the amount of their $1,000 grant award, for the purchase of firefighting equipment. As an example, a fire department awarded a $1000 grant would need to expend $2000 on their project to receive the $1000 grant award. Fire departments must provide half the cost of the project being funded.

For those of you in New York State that haven't heard, applications for the Volunteer Fire Assistance Grant administered by NYSDEC are due by May 15, 2012. More information can be found at:http://www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/2364.html

Fire departments will receive 50/50 matching funds, up to the amount of their $1,000 grant award, for the purchase of firefighting equipment. As an example, a fire department awarded a $1000 grant would need to expend $2000 on their project to receive the $1000 grant award. Fire departments must provide half the cost of the project being funded.

Just wondering if an application would receive a lower priority if the proposed equipment to be acquired through this grant could be used for more than wildland application. For example, we're considering either wildland PPE or a portable generator with scene lights. We could justify either of these items but obviously the generator could be used at almost any incident whereas the PPE has limited applications. But is it a good idea to use this justification in our write-up, or would we get penalized for this?

Just wondering if an application would receive a lower priority if the proposed equipment to be acquired through this grant could be used for more than wildland application. For example, we're considering either wildland PPE or a portable generator with scene lights. We could justify either of these items but obviously the generator could be used at almost any incident whereas the PPE has limited applications. But is it a good idea to use this justification in our write-up, or would we get penalized for this?

Looking for some guidance. Thanks!

~Skojo

We have been awarded several of these over the years and have used them towards the purchase generator lights, wild land tools, Pro Packs, and an insert for our Polaris Ranger. I know of departments that have applied and had funding awarded for portable radios and pagers.

The NYS application is different from other grant applications in that the awards are based upon a scoring matrix and not a narrative. For example, the lower your population, the more points you get, if you have a native american community in your district, you additional points, if you applied last year and did not get awarded, you get more points, etc. That being said, it I was told that in the past few years, the total amount of money available exceeded the amount requested. Keep in mind that your department is only eligible if you serve a population less than 10,000.